Vehicle-signal



WILLIAM Bl, TONKIN, OF BISBEE, ARIZONA.

VEHICLE-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters lacent.

Patentedv May 11,1920.

Application filed January 17, 1920. Serial No. 352,163.

To aZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. ToNxrN, citizen of the United States, residing lat Bisbee, in the county of Cochise and tate of Arizona, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Signals, of which the following is a specificatiomrefercnce being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to vehicle signals and has for its object to provide a device of this character which occupies a small space and can be attached to any part of the vehicle. y

Another object is to provide a device of this character including a novel operating mechanism which holds the signal in its various positions.

Another object is to provide a device of this character including a support which also serves as an axle for the signal and provides a socket for the illuminating means of the signal.

Another object is to provide a device of this character in which the signal plate holder forms a casing for a reflector and illuminating means.

Another object is to provide a E2/vice of this character which is rotatable in one direction byspring means and manually rotatable in the opposite direction,

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the improved. construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more' particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic and sectional view of the vehicle signal.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the signal.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the signal.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a controlling means of thesignal.

The'invention'consists yof a tubular supporting member 4 adapted to be secured at its lower end 5 to the rear portion of a vehicle. rlhe end portion 6 is extended in right angular relation to the body portion 5, to provide an axle 7 for the signaling means. vA drum 8 is rotatably mounted on the axle 7 and has a peripheral groove 9 the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. The drum 8 is prevented from movement longitudinally, of the axle by means of collars 10 which iare secured to the. axle on' both sides of the In order to yieldably urge the signal in one direction, a helical spring 11 1s pro vided, and encircles-the axle side of the drum and the body portion 4 of the supporting member. The end 12 of the spring is secured to the supporting member 4 while the end 13 is securedto the adjacent surface of the drum 8. By this means, when the drum is rotated in one direction it causes contraction of the spring 11 so that when released the latter causes rotation of the signal means in the opposite direction.

A; casing 14. having a central opening 15 is secured to the other side of the drum 8 by means of screws 16, the periphery 1T of the vcasing being provided with a plurality of threaded openings 1S. The open end of the casing 14 is closed by an opaque signal plate 19 having a convex outer surface 20 and' an inwardly directed flange 21 having a plurality of set screws 22 adapted" to be re ceived in the threaded openings 18 of the casing to secure the signal plate thereto. The signal pla-te 19 is provided with diametrically opposed openings 23 and 24. A green' bulls eye lens 25 is secured in the opening 23 while a red bulls eye lens.,26v is secured in the opening 24. The plate 19 rotates with the casing, and thereby turns the desired bulls eye into position so as to signal the direction the vehicle is about to take.

A reflector 27 is disposed in the inclosure and has an opening 28which`registers with a socket 29 in the end of the axle 't'. Illuminating means such as a lamp 30 is disposed in the socket 29, and serves to properly position the reflector within the casing. The wires of the lamp 30 pass through the inibirlar r supporting member 4 to a source of energy. i

In order to rotate the drumv `and. plate in the opposite direction aga-inst the tension of the spring 11, a cable 31 is provided. and has one end secured to the drum 3 Within the groove 9 -and is extended by means of pulleys 32 to the front portion of the vehicle. The cable 31 is operated by the driver through the medium 'of anovel operating mechanism including a bracket 33 which is secured to the steering column or any portion of the vehicle within `convenient reach of the driver. A bolt "34 is carried by the bracket 33 and serves as anaxle for an operating drum 435. This drum is provided with a peripheral groove 36 adapted to receive the cable 31,- the end yI i,

' between onev 37 of, the cable being secured to the drum witli'in ythe groove. An operating lever 38 is secured'to the drum and includes a spring pressed catch 39 which is movable over a locking ring 4;(). This ring surrounds the drum 35 'and is provided with afplurality of spaced notches. 4-1 adapted to receive the catch 39, whereby the various sections of the signal are'locked in position.

' When Ithe ldriver4 is about1to turn the vehicle, kfor .instance to the. right, the lever 38is released by operating the catch 39, and movedI to thenotch in the right side ofv the ring40. Thisfcauses the cable131 to unwind froml thedrum 35 ontothe drum 8 whereupon the spr-ing lllexpands and rotates the .red section to the` right side. To `indicate a left turn, the lever 38 is moved tothe notch in lthe-left side portion of the ring 40 so as toi-.rotate the red .section to the vleft side of-.-the'vehicle. 'Av .stopisfindicated by moving the lever 38 .to the top notch so as to position the vred bulls eye 2.6 above the greenf'bulls-eye v253. In thel last tw'o movements,;the cable 31 .i-s unwound frorn-v the drum 8 onto-the drum `35,thev spring 11 bein-g contracted uat the same time. When the vehicle ismovingstraight aheadfthe .lever 38 is returned to the bottom notch in thering 40. #The cable 31 is-thereby Wound on :the drum 8ffrom1 theldrum 35,Which .movement causes the green bullsjey'e 25 to .be positioned-on topfor above the red bulls egefQ. 1 fThe rdriv'erv can always yascertain t e position -efthe red: bulls eye26 lby the position of theflever 38 on the ring 40. l

.From the-'foregoing vit Will bey readily seen that,I thisinvention provides a simple and compact form` of signal Which'can be readily applied to yany vehicle :Without alteringthe same in any manner. Another important .featureis thatqthe support of the signal performs Afour f'function's namely, that of supporting the signaling mechanism, providingy an axle: for the same also-serving as a-soclret' for the illuminating means and as vto the. body portion thereof to provide av slia.ft,'a.drum rotatable on said shaft,a spring surrounding the shaft, one end'of saidv spring beingy secured vto the body por tion ofl the supporting member, the other end being secured to one side of the drum, ya casing secured to theother side-of the drum,

.a signal plate carried bythe casing, abre# {lectorhaving lits outer edgesv engaged with I the inner .surface of said signal plate. .a lamp in the end of the shaft, and means for controlling the movement. of: the signal plate throughthe medium ofthe drum and casing. v p Y,

2. A direction indicator for vehicles' comprising a tubular-stationary .shaft secured tothe vehicle, a drum rotatably .mounted on the sha-ft, holdin-g collars secured -to -the sha-ft on both sides of the-drum, a spring surrounding the shaft in :angular .spaced relation thereto and secured at itsends toy the drum and shaft Vfor rotating said drumy on the sha-ft, a casing having a central opening, said casing being secured toand movablewith the drum, one endportion of the stationary 'shaft extending into the casing, signal means carried by the casing, illuminating means disposed. in the end ofthe shaft Withiny the casing, a flexible member carried byy the drum and means for operating said flexible member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my e0 signature.

WILLIAM R. flON KIN. 

